On the Other Side
by Greykey
Summary: Sora's story is one we all know, but what about Riku's? We know he teamed up with maleficent and got possessed by the darkness, but just how exactly? And what made him do it?
1. Sole Residents

Chapter 1

Sole Residents

By, Greykey

Are you the one?

Huh? Who's there?

Are you the one who will open the door?

Who are you? How did you get here! …… The key hole?

"This world is soon to be pulled into darkness, but you shall survive.

Are you from another world?

Only those who don't fear the darkness can travel to other worlds.

What is this darkness you keep talking about?

You who sees the keyhole fears the darkness?

What are you talking about? Explain.

You know so very little, but you have promise.

Who are you?

If you want to travel to other worlds… just open the door…

But-

The door leads to all we ever wanted…

O.O

The powerful hurricane winds cruised through Riku's hair. He could feel the mist of the restless waves on his face and the slow sinking feeling of near annihilation. Yet, he was excited. Excited by the prospect of finally leaving this cramped island and this small world. Seeing what was out there, finding and collecting new experiences. This apocalyptic setting only brought him promise.

He glanced upward into the dark sky. It was a swirling abyss with a dark globe of pure ruin floating above him, threatening to consume the only world he knew… he couldn't care less. He closed his eyes and waited, they would be coming soon enough.

Sounds of footsteps could be heard running across the bridge. "Where's Kairi! I thought she was with you!" a familiar voice shouted behind him. Ah, he was here now. Riku spoke to him as he watched the wave's torrent, "The door has opened…"

Sora paused, "What?" he sounded confused.

Riku turned around, "The door has opened, Sora! Now we can go to the outside world!" The sheer aspect was pumping adrenaline through his bloodstream.

"What are you talking about? We've gotta find Kairi!" Sora cried incredulously.

"Kairi's coming with us!" Riku half-snapped. Did he honestly think he would forget about Kairi? He flinched and Riku continued, "Once we step through, we might not be able to come back," he gazed at the dark sphere of destruction hovering over the island, "We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back," Riku could feel Sora's doubts, "But this may be our only chance. We can't let fear stop us! I'm not afraid of the darkness!" Riku looked back at Sora and reached out his hand beckoningly.

"Riku…" Sora murmured warily.

The solidness of the ground disappeared out from under Riku's feet. It felt like he was slowly sinking into a viscous liquid. Something started to crawl onto his feet and up his legs, like how vines climb up an old building.

Riku didn't look down, nor did he fear what it might be. He was leaving this world and this was his ticket out of it. The vine-like things embraced his torso now, but his hand stayed extended to Sora.

Sora ran to Riku with a frightened look on his face. Then he stopped and bent over to reach for Riku, as if his feet were caught on something. It didn't bother him, nor did he try to reach Sora more urgently. Sora might not reach the same world he would at the same time, but they were going to find each other eventually throughout the scattered worlds… somehow… whether Sora grabbed his hand or not.

Riku could feel himself smiling ever so slightly as Sora tried to reach him, but even after Sora flung backwards either by force or forfeit Riku could still feel that small smile grace his lips as he plunged further and further into the darkness.

O.O

Riku woke up groggily on cold, hard ground. He wasn't sure why. Had he fallen off his bed or something? He forced his eyes open and tried to adjust them to the lighting. When his eyesight bettered, he looked around in amazement.

He was lying right in front of a pair of gigantic double doors on a stone ledge over a misty abyss. Memories of the island came back to him and he smiled. This was a different world! He hopped to his feet, and like a child in a candy store, looked around more, trying to soak in every last detail of color and design. Such architectural beauty, he couldn't wait to meet the people who made this place…

He turned to the towering double doors. The people must be inside or something… He paused. Was he supposed to knock or just waltz in? One didn't just knock on gigantic double doors leading into a castle, but one didn't just walk in uninvited either. He made a decision quickly and knocked on the doors. There was no answer. He tried again. Nothing.

It wasn't until now did her realize the awful quietness in this world. Could this place be uninhabited? No, that couldn't be, who would have made this castle then? Perhaps it was deserted… If it was deserted, no one would care if he just walked in then, would they?

He glanced up at the doors, guessing their weight. Would he be able to open them by himself? He tried anyway. He put all his weight into pushing one of the doors open. He didn't have to though; for the second he put his weight on the door, both of them started moving. He was falling from miscalculation for a second, but caught himself.

The doors opened to reveal a grand entrance hall with two curving stair cases leading up to the second floor, embracing a flowing fountain. He could see an even higher floor, but didn't know how he could reach it.

His eyes met back with the fountain and he cracked a smile. This place couldn't be deserted. Not if the water was still running. The water looked fresh and new and tended to. There was no way a person wasn't here.

He walked into the center of the room and then heard the two doors close from behind him. He turned just in time to see the last sliver of daylight disappear from the doorway.

"Who are you, boy?" a calm, collected voice asked behind him. He turned back to see a woman in dark robes standing in an intimidating posture at the top of the left stairway. Her headwear had two horns sprouting out of it, giving her a demonic look, and the green skin wasn't helping her either. However, she gave off a classy air and held a skinny wooden staff with a green orb on its hilt. Perched on it was a crow eyeing Riku suspiciously.

"Who are you?" he asked back.

"I am Maleficent, sole resident of this world," she said, descending the stairway.

As she walked to him Riku inquired disbelievingly, "You're the only one who's here?"

"Yes, now please, who are you and how did you get here?" she stopped in front of him and stared down at him, but not in a condescending way.

Riku didn't want to give his name, but manners had appeared to get the best of him, "My name is Riku."

"Ah, how did you get here, Riku?" she asked calmly, "I don't sense a vessel so how did you reach here?"

"I… I was brought here," Riku phrased carefully.

"By whom?"

"The darkness."

Maleficent raised her eyebrows and for a moment or two, appeared lost in thought. But then smiled warmly. The smile seemed misplaced on her, but it was definitely warm, "You poor boy. The darkness swallowed your world, didn't it? You're heart must have been very strong if it was able to harness the darkness into bringing you here."

"What do you mean?" Riku questioned.

"Let us walk to the castle chapel. I shall tell you about the worlds' struggles there," Maleficent wrapped an arm tenderly around Riku's shoulder. He shoved it off as if it were disease, before being interested, "'Worlds''? You mean you know of other worlds beside this one?"

"But of course, now come. Tell me what you wanted to find so desperately," Maleficent walked up the stairs. Riku followed behind correcting her, "I never wanted to find anything. I just wanted to see new worlds."

"That qualifies as wanting to find something too," Maleficent said with a hint of laughter in her voice, "Dou you have colleagues somewhere? Or are you just a lone wolf?" She stepped into what looked like a cage with light beams as bars. Riku followed her carefully and the cage started moving upward.

"My friends are in different worlds now I'm guessing. I'm going to find them once I'm done here," Riku explained.

Maleficent gave a knowing little smile and asked, "How?"

"What do you mean 'how'?"

"How do you intend on traveling to another world? You have no vessel, and relying too much on the darkness will destroy your heart, no matter how strong it is," she informed in a warning tone.

"I can't just keep doing what I'm doing to get to another world?" Riku murmured mostly to himself, but Maleficent replied anyway, "Of course not. You'd need a ship if you ever wish to see your friends again."

Riku froze. He didn't think there would be any problem just going out and looking for his friends. But he _needed_ something.

The lift stopped and Maleficent exited and walked to a small stair way. She stopped and looked back at him, "Come now."

Riku followed her quickly but walked a little slower after that. Maleficent apparently took note for she made 'tsk'ing sounds and said soothingly, "If you want, _I_ can provide a ship for you."

Riku looked up at sharply, "What would I have to do?"

"Ah, you caught me," she had that hint of laughter in her voice again, "I would want you to fetch some one for me before you go on your little quest."

"'Fetch'?" Riku repeated inquiringly, "Is it someone you know from another world?"

"Caught me again," she smiled, "No. I need you to take her from her world and bring her to me."

Riku stopped walking and glared, "I am not kidnapping someone."

"Riku, dear you're so harsh with words. I don't intend to _harm_ the girl. I just need her for a little project I'm doing…" she sounded hurt.

"No. If you want her so badly, you need to do it yourself," Riku snapped.

"Very well," Maleficent sighed, "Such a pity. I suppose you're stuck here then. Oh well, it looks like I'm no longer the sole resident of this world…" she continued walking.

Riku stood his ground for a little while, but when she had turned the corner and climbed a new set of stairs, he reconsidered with himself. He couldn't stay here. Sora and Kairi might be in the same position as he was, and if they ever found out that he refused the only way of reaching them….

"Wait up!" Riku called as he rushed after her. Maleficent was waiting and she had a knowing smile on her face. Riku knew she was toying with him now, but he didn't care, "Who, where, and why?"

"Why should 'why' matter?" Maleficent frowned.

"Because I want to know why I would ever have to kidnap some one," he said firmly.

"Very well, I'll explain in the chapel. It's not far now…" Maleficent led him through a couple more doorways before reaching a large room lit by green flames. It was frankly a dreary place, but it fit with Maleficent well.

"The girl I want you to capture is named Snow White. She is a fair maiden with ebony hair and rose red lips. The fairest of them all, in her world," she explained facing the alter, "The coordinates for her world are already in the vessel."

"Why do you need her?" Riku asked.

She chuckled for a moment, but then started to walk to another door way to the right of the chapel. Riku already knew to follow her by this time and did so. He walked into a colossal room, much grander than the church. Maleficent pointed of to the side and Riku winced. There was a blonde woman there. She was beautiful and clad in a blue dress. She looked asleep or dead. He looked to the opposite side of the room and saw another motionless woman with her hair up and in a ballroom gown.

"There are seven princesses of the purest heart that I need. As you see, I have only two. I think know where four others are, but you need to only concentrate on the one I requested for," Maleficent said.

"That makes six… you're missing one," he pointed out.

"Yes, I fear her world has already been devoured by the darkness. She must be out there now in a world not her own. But I shan't worry about that. Now, your ship has enough room for two, you and the princess," she explained.

Riku narrowed his eyes, "I have two friends. I need a ship for _three_."

Maleficent laughed, "Very well, young one. How about this: you take the ship for two, and when you return to me with the princess, I'll exchange it for you?" Riku thought about it for a second, and nodded in approval. Maleficent continued, "Good. You may leave as soon as you are ready. For your benefit, there is a collaborator of mine in that world. She is the queen there. She will help you, but she can't do much. The princess in under protection from the queen, so you'll need to be the one who gets her."

"I… I understand…" Riku nodded.

"Excellent," Maleficent smiled, "You may leave as soon as you are ready."

"How about now?" he suggested.

She chuckled, "If you wish. I will show you to your vessel. But before you go, I have a gift." Maleficent tapped her staff onto the ground and a mysterious object fell into Riku's arms. His first reaction was to throw it to the ground, but he caught himself and instead gazed at it curiously. It looked like a demon's wing of sorts, blue with red webbing, and stranger, it had what appeared to be a hilt.

"What is it?" Riku asked bluntly.

"A weapon, of course."

"I thought I didn't have to harm the princess," Riku eyed her suspiciously.

"You don't use it against the princess, you use it for self-defense. Not all you meet in other worlds are as friendly as I," Maleficent stated coolly, "Now. Let us leave. I'll see you off in the ship."

O.o

Ah, you did it.

You again?

You have an incredibly strong heart.

So I've been told.

Although Maleficent is right. Rely too heavily on the darkness and the darkness will swallow you up. Even if it does not feel like it, one is almost always a puppet to their own dark desires.

No worries, I have no intentions of using any 'dark powers' after I'm done with this job. It's strait to Sora and Kairi and I'll forget Maleficent I'll hopefully forget you too.

Heh heh heh… You shall never get rid of me, Riku.

You know my name?

Why wouldn't I?

Just who are you?


	2. The Most Jealous of them All

Hello there. I wanted to put an author commentary like this on my first chapter, but never got around to it, so here it is now, in all of its commentary glory.

I know you probably don't care at this point, (me only having two chapters up) but this story was basically an opportunity for me to spill out all of my inferences and crack-pot-theories on Kingdom Hearts, and more specifically, its themes of darkness. At first I never really understood how exactly darkness was incorporated in the making of the heartless and devouring worlds and so on, but as I played the game thoroughly and over and over again, I found myself in a position to actually ponder these types of things. And since, as far as I am concerned, the English version of the game didn't give a good sense of what the darkness was and how it worked (or when it did it was in fragments and scattered throughout the game) I started looking it up on different KH sites and found what I believe is a deeper design to the darkness than what we first experience in the game… either that or I'm looking way into a whole bunch of nothing and I'm another obsessive game-freak with no life. (I _hope_ that isn't the case)

Another reason that I really wanted to write this fanfiction is because one thing that really bothered me about the game is that we never really found out how Riku found Maleficent or visa versa; and that one scene after Sora first kicks Riku's butt at Hollow Bastion where Riku talks to hooded-Ansem. Riku _clearly_ was not speaking to him for the first time, and obviously viewed Ansem as a power source of some kind. Because I zone out a lot, in my little mind world I was able to string together sets of ideas for a story of what happened to Riku, and this is that product.

Now, I'll stop blabbing… here's the chapter.

Chapter 2

The Most Jealous of Them All

By, Greykey

**The third princess of heart is to be found. How pleasing.**

You know about these princesses?

**Yes**.

What's so special about them?

**Out of all the maidens in the world, these seven show signs to be the purest of heart. The light in their hearts shines much more brightly than those of other hearts… almost to the point where they have no darkness in their hearts at all.**

But, that doesn't make sense. Maleficent seems to rely and embrace the darkness... why would she ever want princesses filled with light?

…

Well…?

…

O.O

Riku stepped inside of the ship and itched the back of his head. How was he supposed to work this thing? He looked at a panel with several buttons on it. The bright green one looked promising… He pressed it and was forced backward by the sudden motion. He fell down and quickly grabbed onto the nearest sturdy object he could find.

It was about five seconds before the moving stopped. He felt a little nauseous to tell the truth, but didn't pay attention to it. He looked out of the front of the vessel and found himself on the edge of a menacing wood. He could a see the spires and smoke from a castle near by. He remembered Maleficent's words about a queen who would help him.

He got out of the ship and walked to the castle. He found himself yet again looking up at two gigantic double doors. He didn't bother knocking and went inside.

The interior of the castle did not match the outside. Every corner had a cobweb, every surface was run over with dust, and every beauty that this palace might have possessed was dulled or dirtied.

Riku sneered at the inferior beauty in comparison from the other world and began exploring. No room he saw was any better than the entrance hall. All was dirty and unkempt.

He found himself looking down a hallway when someone finally penetrated the silence, "Who dares enter my palace?" The voice was demanding but had a fluid beauty to it.

Riku turned around to see a crowned woman in dark robes. She had a beautiful face, but her scowl was less than attractive. Two cobwebbed candelabra on both sides of her hosted seats to two rather large vultures. "My name's Riku," he replied, "Maleficent sent me for a Snow White."

The queen regained her composure quickly and nodded, "I see. Send my regards to Maleficent, but I will not need your assistance. I can get the girl myself."

"Too bad," Riku scoffed. He wasn't going to be able to keep the ship unless he had a princess with him, "I need Snow White."

The queen frowned, "Watch your tongue, boy. Fine, you may stay, but stay out of the way." The queen turned around and left him.

He ran to catch up to her, "Hey, where's this princess?"

"She's deep in the forest living with seven dwarves. They know of me and my intentions to kill her," the queen replied simply.

"Excuse me? Kill her? No. Maleficent needs her back alive," he said.

"Inform her that I will allow no such thing. She gets her back dead or not at all," she hissed at him.

Riku stopped walking, "Sorry, lady. It doesn't work that way." He turned around to leave. Snow White was no use to him if she was dead.

"Where are you going?" the queen snapped.

"To get Snow White. Your plans don't really fit in with mine," Riku shrugged at her, "Oh yeah; get a new hobby."

"How dare you!" she snapped.

"Look, I'm going to kidnap this girl, and bring her to Maleficent as soon as possible…. _Alive_. If you don't like the plan, bring it up with Maleficent," Riku said.

"Just try to get to her before I do!" the queen scowled.

"Whatever lady."

"Don't you dare defy me!"

Riku stopped and saw two _things_ come out from under the ground. They were round and had three almost vine-like appendages come from their dark bodies. They were covered in what looked like little purple veins and had two distinct glowing yellow eyes.

Without a moment's thought Riku drew his blade, ready for anything these things might try. However, they looked like they were going to attack one second, but then just stopped, and looked at him blankly, and then they disappeared.

"What? Why didn't they do…?" he could hear the queen's surprised voice from where he was.

He gave a backwards glance at the queen, then a quick scowl. Something was telling him to leave her be. He retreated out of the castle.

O.O

Riku stood at the edge of the forest. It looked less than inviting and all the trees seemed to be gnarled in such a way that they resembled frowning and frightening faces. He chuckled. A little girl's worst nightmare.

He stepped strait into the woods, unafraid. He was surprised when only within a matter of seconds all light was blocked. He frankly wasn't even sure where he had entered the woods by then. Spontaneously, a wind picked up in the forest and swept among the trees and logs. Leaves flew up into Riku's face. He winced and covered his eyes with his arm.

Something wooden and sharp jabbed ferociously at his leg. He jumped back and hissed in pain. It didn't cut him or even rip his pants, but the sheer force of the blow hurt enough. He glanced down to see the perpetrator. A log that looked very much like a crocodile glared up at him. For a moment or two Riku could have sworn it was a crocodile, but it remained motionless after that. He growled spitefully and kicked the log.

Riku returned to walking. Just how did the log do that? There was a wind, but nothing that strong…. Something shifted behind him. He twirled around his sword ready. He didn't see anything at eye level, he glanced back down at the log. There was something there that wasn't there before.

One of the black things he saw at the palace was looking up at him curiously, like a dog that saw a steak on the table. However, this one was different from the one the queen summoned up. It looked like a stuffed animal ant almost. Riku lowered his sword. The thing tilted his head curiously and scurried in a certain direction. Riku expected it was going to just keep running, but it stopped about five yards away from him. It looked back at him and motioned its head.

Riku's eyes widened at this creature's personified nature. Did it want him to follow it? He stepped forward and got closer to it. It waddled away a few more feet and looked back at Riku again, waiting patiently. It did want him to follow it.

He followed the creature deeper into the forest. So deep, that Riku was afraid that this thing was more his enemy than his friend. Right around the time Riku had just decided to ditch the creature, it stopped and sat down. Riku approached the creature carefully, ready for anything…

Well, almost anything.

The ground under him gave way and he plunged into a deep hole. He landed into ice cold swamp water. Not surprisingly, more of those logs that resembled alligators were floating in the muck. His eyes darted quickly around the area. One of the first things he spotted was at the edge of the bog. Two more of the dark things were waiting for him, just as the first had.

They motioned their heads in unison. Riku sighed, exasperated, but figured they had to be leading him _somewhere_. He waded through the muck and toward the little monsters. When he exited the muddy waters, he sneered down at his pants, drenched with mud and who knows what else. He glanced at the creatures that waited patiently for him.

He walked forward to follow them wherever they might take him, but to his surprise, they didn't move. Riku, unwilling to fall deeper into this hell of a forest, walked towards them even more cautiously than the first; feeling out the ground in front of him before firmly putting his foot down. After what was decidedly much too long, he reached the two sitting things. They looked up at him, and then to a random direction. Riku followed their wandering eyes. When he saw what he was looking at, he was taken aback. A soft pink light beamed down through two trees.

He squinted through the foliage and saw the outline of a small cottage in the distance. Could that be… where Snow White was? He took a step toward the light, but stopped suddenly to check on the black things, but when he turned around, they had vanished.

Riku gazed at the spot where they used to be and wondered if he should look for them, but he dismissed the idea quickly. This forest and world was a weird place. It was probably best just to get the princess and go.

He walked strait into the light, but when his eyes got into direct contact with the outside, they felt like they were burning and he gained a small head ache. He grumbled. Just how long had he been in that forest anyway?

His eyes became better adjusted right when the cottage door opened. Riku crouched down to the ground, afraid of being seen. He watched people exit the cottage and he couldn't help but crack a grin when he saw a young woman with pale skin and black hair come out.

Seven other short people came out of the cottage as well; who were what Riku figured must be the seven dwarves that the Queen mentioned. Snow White bid them all farewell and retreated back into the cottage.

Now.

Now was the perfect time.

Afraid that the girl might see him through one of the windows, he crept closer and closer to the cottage, while staying low to the ground. It was slow, but better to be safe than sorry. Those dwarves weren't too far off and a scream would be sure to attract their attention.

He reached the house and he leaned up against the exterior. How exactly should he go about doing this? He didn't want to harm her, so hitting her over the head with a blunt object until she passes out wasn't an option. If he just grabbed her she would scream and somebody would undoubtedly hear her. Maybe he should gag her with something? That wouldn't technically hurt her…

Riku sighed. This was so messed up.

He could hear her singing a little tune inside the house.

If he was going to get her, it was best to do it now, before someone sees him.

He prepared himself, but then heard a shirking coming from around the corner of the cottage. Riku dashed around the other corner. Did one of the dwarfs see him?

An old crone dressed in a black cloak hobbled around the corner holding a basket full of apples. Quite quietly she approached the open window he hid under. She almost threw her entire body inside. A gasp of surprise could be heard from the young princess.

"All alone my pet?" the crone inquired after a sinister chuckle.

"Why- why, yes I am but-" Snow White stuttered, still recovering from the scare the old woman had given her. The hag cut her sentence short, "The little men are not here?"

Riku's eyes narrowed. This lady seemed suspiciously familiar… Snow White continued to stammer out, "No, their not but-" A large sniffing sound from the crones obscenely large nose interrupted her, "Mm," she said, "Makin' pie?"

Snow White seemed to cheer up almost immediately, "Yes. Gooseberry pie."

"It's _apple_ pie that makes the men-folks mouths water," the crone stated confidently. Riku paused in his thoughts to consider if he ever liked apple pie and what the hell this lady was talking about, but he snapped back into concentration when the crone continued, "Apple pie made from apples…" she reached into her basket and pulled out a particularly red apple, "…like these!"

Riku could see Snow White's pale hand reach out to inspect the apple as she crooned, "Oh, they do look delicious!" "Yes," the hag agreed with a chuckle, "But wait 'til you taste one dearie…"

A new movement caught his eye in a nearby tree. Two vultures sat gazing down at the old hag and Snow White with almost… _smirks_ planted on their faces. Riku's eyes widened as he recognized the vultures from the castle. His eyes switched madly to the hag.

"Go on. Go on, have a bite!" the hag was practically shoving the apple in her face. Riku made connections quickly. He dashed out of his hiding place and tackled the queen in disguise down to the ground. Riku reached for the apple in the princess' hands and threw it across the field, far away from her.

Snow White did nothing but gasp in shock. The hag looked up at him and spat, "YOU."

"Nice to see you again," he drew his sword and pointed at the queen, "What, did you forget to take your beauty nap this afternoon?"

Not amused, the queen looked like she was going to snap back with something, but a sudden change in lighting sucked the voice out of her. It grew very dark, very quickly.

Riku looked up. Great, big, grey clouds covered the entire sky, the only hint of light being the scattered lightning bolts hopping from one cloud to the next. Riku lowered his sword and cursed. Of all the times…

Snow White looked terrified and confused. Her eyes darted across the entire sky and she suddenly let out a shriek. Both Riku and the queen looked up to see what Snow White was screaming at. A swirling black and purple vortex lit up the sky. The queen stared in horror. Riku glared with irritation.

This world's door has opened.

Snow White fainted on the sill. Riku glanced down at her, shrugged, and threw her over his shoulder. That was easier than expected. He made his way back to the forest.

"Wait!" the queen yelled. He stopped to listen. "Where are you going?"

"To my ship," he answered simply as he continued walking.

"Take me with you!" the queen hobbled over to catch up. Riku spotted a dark creature, sitting patiently, waiting for him. He didn't reply to the queen as he followed the black thing, but she continued to limp after him, pleading. Within almost no time at all, he had reached his ship and the black thing disappeared. He sneered, he must have been walking around in circles in that wood….

"Your ship! Please, let me go on!" the hag pleaded as Riku placed Snow White into the vessel. Riku glanced down at the sniveling frightened old lady, and for a split second, found a hint of pity. The sympathy disappeared as quickly as it came as he recalled how he was treated and why she was like this in the first place. So he merely smiled, "Sorry, this is a ship for two." He climbed in fully and took off, leaving the queen behind to be engulfed along with her world.

O.o

**Heheheh**…

Yes?

**How unbelievably cruel of you Riku… leaving a poor old woman to die, and with a smile on your face no less.**

One: she isn't really an old woman, and two: this is really only a ship for two people… which brings up the question of how you're speaking to me…

**That still doesn't explain the smile.**

She had it coming. She used her power out of petty jealousy… toward her daughter too! If you ask me, you can't get any lower than that. She was the cruel one, not me.

**Whatever you say Riku…**

Say, what were those things that helped me in the forest?

**What makes you think I know?**

I know you know. And I bet you're the reason they didn't attack me like the queen ordered to also.

**Don't discredit yourself. **

Yeah, yeah. What are they?

**They are called heartless. They are the product of when a heart is separated from the body and soul. The heart is either devoured by another heartless or is consumed by its own darkness, either way the light within the heart ceases to be and all that is left is pure darkness. This creates a heartless. They gained the name heartless because although being created out of the darkness of heart, a true heart has at least a little light in it; however in their case, they possess no light, and the darkness itself is used only to create a form of them, so they truly don't even possess a pure dark-heart either. There by being those with out hearts, heartless. **

I didn't catch half of what you said, you know… but wait… did you say heartless are people?

**_Were_ people. You see, heartless hunt human beings… rather, the hearts of human beings. They devour the light in the heart and the darkness that is left over becomes a heartless. It's how they reproduce.**

That's horrible.

**It's beautiful. But they don't just devour the hearts of man, but the hearts of worlds. **

The hearts of worlds… I don't understand… worlds have hearts? And would that make the world that has had its heart devoured… a heartless?

**Close enough for now, you still have so very much to learn…**

O.o

Okay, this chapter is concluded. It took me forever to find my old Snow White tape and get the dialogue from it. I wanted to keep most of what has really been said as pure as possible.

RANDOM MOSTLY UNRELATED FACT: I learned on my last trip to Disneyland (which was last Saturday for my birthday). The dark ride "Snow White's Scary Adventures" used to be only called "Snow White's Adventures" but because of the incredibly bleak and scary setting throughout most of the ride, most children and parents were caught off guard and usually yelled at Disney for not putting up a warning of sorts. (I believe one of the complaints was "You didn't say there was a _witch_ in there!"). So they ended up temporarily closing down the dark ride for restoration and added the 'touch the golden apple and hear the witch cackle' bit and the scene with the dungeon and the cawing shadow of a crow in the waiting line and added the word 'scary' in the ride's title. They figured that if the kids weren't scared off by the dungeon scene, they'd survive the rest of the ride.

Please review, or at least read the chapter (so I can count my hits!)


	3. Twas Eternity and the Slithy Cat

Hi again!

Something to consider: my lovely chapter title. I awfully proud of it. I'm pretty sure quite a few of you already know what it is referring to and probably know already who the 'slithy cat' is, but that's only if you love Lewis Carroll, are very perceptive of a certain Disney Movie, or are a lover of poetry. Because I feel it would just spoil the fun to explain the gibberish, I'll explain it in my random mostly unrelated fact (RMUF).

Please enjoy.

Chapter 3

'Twas Eternity and the Slithy Cat

By, Greykey

O.o

**What are you going to do after this?**

I'm going to search for Sora and Kairi.

**Perhaps you should ally yourself with Maleficent, then.**

What? Why?

**Maleficent is powerful, and she has many connections. Perhaps she could find your friends for you. Wouldn't that make life so much easier?**

Stop that. I can see right through you.

**Whatever do you mean?**

You want me to work for Maleficent. I don't know why, but you do. It's like you're not even trying to conceal the fact you want me to. Well you know what? Tough luck, cause I don't need that witch, or you, to find my friends. I'm perfectly capable. So why don't you take your poor persuasive skills, and her connections and shove it.

…

Uhg, now you _don't_ want to talk to me.

O.o

Riku hopped out of ship and was met by Maleficent smiling pleasantly.

"Mission completed I trust?" she inquired.

He picked up the unconscious princess and held her out to Maleficent. She grinned and stomped her staff on the ground. The princess evaporated out of his arms and Maleficent, along with her pet crow grinned satisfyingly.

"Well done, Riku. You shall have your ship as promised," she said.

"Great…" Riku glanced around the loading area, there were several ships, very few of them were big, "So… which one is it?"

"Oh, none of these. They belong to associates of mine, yours is coming. Tomorrow," she turned around and began to leave.

"What!" Riku snapped, "Tomorrow? What am I supposed to do until then!"

"You may choose a room and sleep," Maleficent said nonchalantly, "You've been gone for an entire day, and I'm going to assume you didn't sleep on your mission, so you'll need to now. May I suggest trying the room four doors from this one? It's quite nice."

She left the loading area.

Riku scoffed. He wasn't expecting to have to _wait_ for his ship.

Another thought entered his mind: had he really not slept in so long? He wasn't feeling too tired right now. Maybe he was knocked out longer than he thought after the destruction of the islands.

He left the loading area. He wasn't sleepy, so he found resting out of the question. Perhaps he should explore the bastion.

The first room he looked into was the room Maleficent suggested should be his room. It was indeed nice. A lot better than his room back home. It was lowly lit by a single candle and the twilight sky outside.

The room was painted a light blue-grey color. The bed was about the size of a full, he would guess, and dark blue pillows and duvet cover adorned it. Two wooden side tables sat on both sides of the bed One had a handheld mirror (a rather feminine mirror), and the other, a candle.

There was also a desk with blank paper and a quill on the other side of the room. Perhaps this was a writer's room back when there were people here…

Riku sat on the bed and bounced on it for good measure. Good grief. Must have been a freaking important writer because the bed was _really comfortable_. Perhaps sleeping wouldn't be a bad idea…

He laid down on the bed and closed his eyes. He couldn't quite fall asleep immediately. Memories and thoughts of the Destiny Islands and Snow White's world and this world distracted him from rest.

He had forsaken Destiny Islands, his home. By opening the door, he had rejected almost everyone. His family, Tidus, Wakka, Selphie, and everyone else in that world. Only Sora and Kairi exist now, his two closest friends… the only people he ever found room in his heart to care about. He had to wonder where they were now… Were they stuck on some world, like he would have been if not for Maleficent? Or worse, the world they landed on got swallowed like Snow White's world… then they would be lost to him… no, the voice had assured him that they would be safe…

Riku turned over onto his side.

He hoped they were safe. Especially Kairi… At least so far, all the worlds he had been to have had less than likable people. Kairi was resourceful, but she lacked in the running and strength department. If she was pitted against some dangerous people or things, chances were she'd be able to neither fight nor run away. Sora on the other hand was a fighter, almost on par with him, making him a best rival and closest friend to Riku. However, Sora's inability to think things through had landed him (and Riku on occasion) into trouble before. He'd probably say something stupid in a foreign world and offend everyone (unknowingly of course) and then find his head on a chopping block.

Riku opened his eyes and sat up grumbling. He was too stressed to go to sleep. He left the room and pondered where he should go next. A thought popped into his head: what about that weird looking room with the other princesses? Would Snow White be there now? Personally, he didn't want to see her in that containing thing, but that room looked fairly interesting. Who knows what else it might contain?

He walked further down the hall, trying to remember how to get to the chapel. He made a couple of turns he thought he made last time, and scanned down ever passage for the elevator that had led him down here.

After a while of searching, he sighed and figured he was lost. He leaned up against a wall and tried to rest his mind. In the silence, his ears picked something up from the other side of the wall. His energy rose immensely as he found the door leading to the room and put his ear against it. These were the 'associates' Maleficent mentioned earlier, weren't they?

"Impressive, the key wielder took down that Guard Armor Heartless." The voice was sleek and sophisticated, and had a hint of persuasion to it.

"No, not really. That was rather a weak creature, that was." The voice was heavily accented by something, but Riku couldn't pinpoint what.

"I agree, if not for that key, I wouldn't consider this kid a threat at all," the voice let out a roar of laughter, "He looks kind of puny to me."

"True… Hey, Maleficent-" Riku's ears perked up, "-Don't you think we should be worrying more about that King guy… Ricky Rat or whatever?"

"Yes, and what about the boy you have?" an unpleasant female voice joined into the conversation, "Is he really to be trusted? After all, he did kill off ol' queeny…" Riku's eyes narrowed… they were talking about him?

"His majesty will not be disturbing our plans too thoroughly I think," Maleficent's voice reigned above all others, clearly being the leader of the group, "He seems to want to rely on the key wielder… if the king thinks he's good enough for us, who are we to deny his wish…?" The beginning sounds of protest sounded but Maleficent continued cutting them off, "As for Riku… it is impolite to eavesdrop behind closed doors…"

A raven's caw came from behind him. Riku's head reared back and saw Maleficent's pet raven perched on a near-by candelabrum. He mentally kicked himself. He should have seen this coming… The door was swung open by a skinny man in pirates' clothing. He glared down at Riku suspiciously. His nose was huge and he had a black mustache to match his long black hair. Riku recognized that the accent he couldn't place must have been that of a pirate's and figured this was the man who had mentioned the weak heartless…

Riku peered into the room to see six more bodies.

"Come in," Maleficent beckoned.

The pirate stood aside and Riku stepped in. There was a picture on a lit surface, but before Riku had enough time to figure out what it was of, the image flattened and the surface became nothing more than a light source.

Maleficent glided toward him and placed an arm around his shoulder, much to his distaste. "Allow me to introduce. All, this is Riku," she motioned toward another skinny man, but in a turban, "Jafar." Neither he nor Riku exchanged nods of acknowledgement and Maleficent continued, "Hook," she showed him the man who had let him in. The next person… or thing rather he was introduced to looked like a ratty enormous sack, "Oogie Boogie." Then there was a blue man in a toga with fire for hair, "Hades." Next was a purple obese woman with white hair and had octopus tentacles instead of legs, "Ursula."

So far, Riku could identify all of the voices with the people who said them, but there was one last body Maleficent introduced who hadn't talked the entire time. A purple cat with dark purple stripes grinned back at him in a knowing, cocky sort of way. It was the first face that had greeted him with a smile ever since Destiny Islands (with the exception of Maleficent), but the way the cat presented himself, Riku quickly decided him unlikable.

"This is the Cheshire Cat," Maleficent announced lastly, "All-"

"How do you do?" the Cheshire cat interrupted Maleficent. This caught Riku off guard. He didn't expect anyone to cut off Maleficent firstly, and he wasn't really expecting anyone to even consider having civilized introduction with him.

"Well… I guess…" Riku said, feeling awkward, something that he really despised feeling, "And you?"

"Very well," the cat never ceased smiling, "Thank you for asking. Pity though…"

Riku couldn't stop himself from asking, "What's a pity?"

"I don't know, tell me, what's a pity?" the Cheshire puzzled, grinning like a madman.

"…….. What?" Riku stared at the cat confused.

"Don't mind the cat," Hades said, "He's a little… crazy."

"You are quite mistaken dear sir, I am not crazy. Mad, yes, crazy, heavens no," the cat stated confidently almost bouncing a little bit.

"It's the same thing."

"What is?"

"Crazy and mad."

"What about crazy and mad?"

Hades bristled and the tips of the flames on his head started to turn red, "Are you messing with me!"

"Why-"

"Enough!" Maleficent silenced the two. Hades returned to blue, and for the first time since Riku came in, the Cheshire cat stopped smiling. He wasn't scowling, though. It was nothing more than an impassive look toward Maleficent, however he might have been hissing and raving since the contrast was so great.

"I believe that this meeting is ready to be concluded. Cheshire Cat, the key wielder is heading toward your world, and you must retrieve the princess as well," Maleficent said.

A small smile returned to the cat, but it now resembled more of a cocky sneer, "My apologies, I am not a part of _this_ tea party." Riku looked up in shock at Maleficent who looked genuinely frustrated. Her hand tightened around her staff and the cat's stripes started to slowly fade away, "Don't be too upset. I know, like all queens you want it to be your way and only your way. I'll bring Alice and gimble the key wielder and be done by brillig tomorrow," he giggled madly as the rest of his stripes began to vanish, "But let us not forget what happens after you use the light to enlarge your shadow…" Only his mouth remained, and in all befitting word-play he chuckled, "you disappear!" The Cheshire cat was no where to be seen.

The room remained silent for the next moment or two. All stared at Maleficent, who looked positively angered. Her harsh grasping of her staff had turned her knuckles white (or at least a very pale green) and her eyes were narrowed down to slits. She regained her previous posture swiftly though, after realizing that the gathering was being held up by her.

"This meeting is concluded you are excused," she said, some anger still apparent in her voice.

Riku half expected them to disappear from their seats one by one like the Cheshire Cat, but instead they boorishly exited by filing out the door.

Wondering if her dismissal applied to him as well, Riku glanced up at Maleficent. She looked back down and said simply, "Walk with me."

She escorted him threw a few random halls and began to question him, "Why were you not asleep, Riku? Was the room not to your liking?"

"Nah, the room was fine…" he mumbled.

"Then what is the trouble?"

"Wasn't tired," he shrugged. It was the truth.

"Ah, I see…" there was no sarcasm in her voice what so ever, but it still made Riku bristle up in self defense, "I wasn't," he snapped, "I was looking for that chapel place and I got lost. I heard voices through the door and got curious."

"Oh? The chapel? Why…? Is it you wish to see the sanctuary where I keep the princesses?" she asked in a sort of sly tone.

Riku gritted his teeth and said nothing. There was no really good reply to that. She took everything he said and twisted her own version in her mind and then implanted it as the truth… at least that was the impression he got. He frankly loathed that ability and recognized the best solution was to not say anything at all. So, he changed the subject.

"Are all of those people from different worlds?" Riku asked.

Maleficent raised an eyebrow for a moment and then said, "My associates? Yes. Every one of them is from a different world. Quite a colorful bunch if I do say so myself…"

Riku chuckled as he considered just how literally that could be taken.

"They are all very flawed though… not suited to control the darkness…" Maleficent added.

Riku stopped chuckling, "What do you mean by that?" he remembered what she said on his first visit here, "Are their hearts too weak?"

Maleficent stopped walking and looked down at Riku sympathetically, "My, my, 'weak' is such a mean way of putting it; but if you're asking if their hearts are not as strong as yours… yes, very much so…"

Riku felt shame as a certain puff of pride beat in him at the mention of his superior heart.

"You see, all hearts can be consumed by the darkness. Some easily, some very trickily. It all depends how strong of heart the person has. The only problem is one cannot measure the strength of a heart to a degree. For it isn't based on stamina or wits or amount of light within the heart, but possibly an equal distribution of all… I can't really say for sure. So I'm afraid, with the exception of you, I am surrounded by colleagues with particularly weak hearts. Almost all of them want power from the darkness… power which I can grant… it is the only reason they come for me. But power lust is a sign of the easily preyed in the eyes of a heartless. They will make my colleagues want more and more power until they entirely forfeit into the darkness, becoming no less than heartless themselves."

"So, if they only work for you for the power, then what are you working for?" Riku questioned.

"With the ultimate darkness at my command, I plan to rule all worlds," she smiled.

Riku wanted to ask what the ultimate darkness was, but the temptation of pointing out Maleficent's hypocrisy took over instead, "But isn't that 'power lust'? Doesn't that mean that you're also 'easy prey'?"

Maleficent laughed lightly, "No. For you see my dear, I respect the darkness and control it in small portions, but I won't allow myself to become infatuated with it and be controlled. It's true your heart possesses incredible strength, Riku, but that doesn't mean it's the only one who can fight against the darkness."

Riku felt his pride deflate and get stomped into the ground. She touched a sore spot with him, but he got revenge quickly, "So all of your colleagues are weak, huh? What about that Cheshire Cat, then? He seemed to have no desire to gain power from the darkness, nor help you."

It seemed like his mental back hand worked beautifully; because at the mere mention of the cat, Maleficent's face twisted sourly. She glared don at Riku furiously for a moment or two, but then a quick little smirk appeared on her face accompanied by a chuckle, "Touché Riku. Yes, you are right. I believe the Cheshire Cat has no interest in my cause and I half expect him to betray my council one way or another."

"Then why not toast him?" Riku asked blankly, "I assume that staff isn't just for show. I bet you can make a little purple smear on the ground out of him."

Maleficent turned angry again, which surprised Riku. He was frankly expecting her to lightly laugh and say something in that disgustingly wannabe sophisticated voice. "The cat is beyond my power. He may even be beyond the darkness' power as well. I find it difficult to describe exactly what he is because he seemingly has no heart, or at least no heart that might interest the heartless… But since the heartless crave all hearts, that means that the cat mustn't have a heart at all… but the only creatures who can exist without hearts without entirely disappearing to the world of darkness are the heartless themselves, and I'm positive the Cheshire Cat is not one."

"That still doesn't explain why you don't just do away with him. So the heartless can't kill him, big deal. Don't tell me that staff is good for nothing but summoning heartless and making princesses disappear one place and reappear another," Riku said.

"I will not." Riku glanced up curiously, for it didn't seem to answer his question. "I simply will not risk trying to kill that thing without the heartless to reassure me," Maleficent said firmly, "The heartless are now the most powerful beings in the world; if they cannot devour the heart of the cat and destroy him, why would I dare try?"

They entered the chapel and there was something different about it… It took Riku a second or two to identify exactly what it was, but he finally now noticed the thorny black rose etched into the floor. Riku figured he didn't even want to know how it got there and smirked.

"Watch out Maleficent," he said, feeling rather proud, "You're starting to sound dependant…"

He walked out of the side door and toward the princesses' room. He didn't hear Maleficent's foot steps behind him.

O.o

Riku sat in his room, quietly. Even though he wasn't even going to stay there, Maleficent had insisted on calling the place "his bedroom". As if he'd actually sleep in it…

He tried sleeping sometime ago, but he still could not. So, he decided to sit up on his bed and wait until morning, when his ship came. He couldn't tell how long he had been sitting there. He tried to tell by how much the candle wax would melt over time, but the strange thing was, it never melted. The candle had retained its exact same shape as it did when had first seen it.

Riku yet again tried resting his eyes. It felt odd, being widely awake and having your eyes shut. He wanted to sleep. If he slept time would go by quicker. But no sleep came. Perhaps it was this world. It didn't really seem to have night and day. It was always day outside but dark enough to the point where one might actually fall asleep… perhaps even that light distracted him. Who knew?

A small rap came through the door. If Riku had actually thought, he probably wouldn't have said 'come in' but habit got the best of him. Maleficent entered and smiled warmly, "Did you sleep well?"

"I didn't sleep," Riku said sitting up and turning to her.

"Oh? Was it the bed? The lighting? Or is it just not the same as home?" she asked in what Riku identified as a mocking tone.

"I'm not tired," he said firmly, with his voice raised slightly.

"Oh? That's too bad. Well, I do have good news…"

"My ship is here?" Riku cut in quickly.

"Yes," Maleficent smiled, "Your reward has come. It is in the loading area."

Riku got up and nearly pushed her down to get out of the room and to his ship. He rushed into the room and saw the ship he took to Snow White's world and a new ship. It was slightly bigger and had different colors to it, but other than that it looked almost identical. He ran over to it and put his hand on the hood.

"Leaving immediately, I trust?" he heard behind him.

He turned to Maleficent and genuinely grinned, "Yep."

"I don't suppose you'll consider staying with me?"

"Nope."

"I have great resources, you know, and I can provide payment beyond a measly ship…" she said.

Riku let out a laugh, "Like what? Do you have my friends hidden in your back pocket?"

"No, but if given time, I bet I can reveal their location for you…" Maleficent said.

Riku gave into a moment's thought before snapping back into attitude, "I think I'll pass. I can find my own friends…"

Maleficent shrugged, "Very well… but in case you change your mind, I have the coordinates to this world programmed into the ship."

"Whatever." He hopped into the ship.

O.o

**Not accepting her offer?**

I told you yesterday. NO. Did you think I'm going to change my mind after one night?

**No, of course you never even considered it; how dreadfully stupid of me.**

Stop that!

**What, Riku?**

Stop acting so condescending! Everybody that I've met is so freaking full of themselves in these worlds! I don't think I've even met somebody who hasn't spoken to me in either a commanding tone or with heavy sarcasm! It's pissing me off.

**Well, then I suppose it's good news to you that I won't be around for a while…**

… What?...

**I'm staying behind. When you return, so will I to you.**

Uhg, God. You just gave me another one-hundred reasons never to come back here.

**Heh, heh.**

Well, what are you waiting for? A good bye kiss? I'm taking off.

**Very well.**

O.o

I have to say, I like writing dialogue for Riku. I'm afraid I might be making him a little out of character at points, but I'm not trying to. The one thing I'm sort of wary about in regards to what Riku says is most of the puns I put in his mouth. I remember that on destiny islands he would use some sarcasm, but not quite as heavy as I have him going now, and from Neverland on it's more of just a mockery talk toward everyone because he's all cocky that he has the heartless or whatever, but hen it isn't quite the same thing I have him doing now (in fact, I'm having him resent that sort of attitude). Oh well, any comments you could give me would be appreciated.

RMUF: So, by now you all know who the 'slithy cat' is from my title. The form of my title comes from a famous poem Lewis Carroll wrote for Alice Through the Looking Glass called 'Jabberwocky'. It starts out with a stanza filled with utter gibberish (or so it seems), the first line saying "'Twas brillig and the slithy toves…" Humpty-dumpy gladly translates us the first stanza in the book, but even the translation gets confusing at times, being it Lewis Carroll. The first lines translation is (in its simplest form) "It was 4:00pm and the unclean long-snouted-badger…" Another reason why using the Jabberwocky poem line for a title is because in Disney's version of Alice in Wonderland, they had the Cheshire cat himself almost constantly sing the first stanza of Jabberwocky over and over again as if it were pleasantly stuck in his head. Just for fun, I'll put down the first stanza of the poem followed by my basic translation. (You might also notice that I used a couple words from the first stanza for the Cheshire Cat to say outside of the original text)

'Twas brillig and the slithy toves

Dis gyre and gimble in the wabe

All mimsy were the borogoves

And the momeraths outgrabe

It was 4:00pm and the unclean long-snouted-badgers

Frolicked and dug holes around the grassy area around a sundial

The large birds were particularly droopy and sad-looking

And the little lost greenish-pigs make weird little noises like sneezing


	4. The New World

Hiya! This is me double posting for your reading pleasure.

Since I haven't updated in like a month, I'm giving you two chapters instead of one. My little way of saying I'm sorry, and that I would really appreciate some more reviews.

Chapter 4

The New World

By, Greykey

Riku couldn't help but grin when he first saw a new world. The other worlds he had been in were easily just as impressive as the one he was looking at now, but somehow this felt a lot brighter and welcoming.

He landed his ship with a little bit of difficulty and hopped out. He was surrounded by thick forest, but not like the forest in Snow White's world. Although the trees were huge and blocked a good amount of sun, the darkness they gave off was more of a relaxing shade then a plight-filled obscurity.

At first, the calm forest gave him hope of a better world; everything was at peace and were no disturbances, but just the extremity of the calm made him worry. This forest was a little _too_ peaceful, almost as if it were never touched by man.

Riku sighed and punched a nearby tree, did he land on an abandoned world? It would make sense, not all worlds _had_ to have humans in them, but… damn! It would be nice to talk to somebody… somebody pleasant…

Riku pulled himself together, people or no, Sora and Kairi had to land somewhere, and he doubted if the darkness cared what type of world they threw them in and whether or not it had people in it…

It was best to search.

Riku took out his sword and made a mark on the tree he had punched. Chances were this forest looked all the same, just like last time. If he got lost or went around in a huge circle, he would know. He continued walking, marking trees as he went.

After a while of walking, Riku got terribly bored. He hadn't been going around in a circle (as far as he knew) because he hadn't run into any other cut trees. Perhaps he should just turn around and get back to his ship. If there was any intelligent life on this world, he would have found some sign of it already.

Just as he was about to turn around, something caught his eye through a few trees. He walked through the foliage and what he saw both froze him in his tracks and made him grin broadly at the same time.

A gigantic patch of trees and been cleared out of an area, leaving nothing but the stumps. Riku wasn't a tree-killer exactly, but the area proved that there had to be people nearby. He examined one of the stumps. It wasn't perfectly cut, but well enough to have been clearly done by a tool of some sort, like one of those long saws.

People had to be near by… maybe near enough where Riku could see their village or something. Trees surrounded the entire area. Riku looked up and had to restrain himself from jumping in the air. There was smoke! There was white smoke coming from a little further away. Riku ran happily toward the smoke, praying he wasn't running strait into a wildfire.

He nearly stumbled several times as he made his way through the sea of stumps, following the white swirls in the sky like a sailor to the stars. He cleared pass the trees excitedly only to frown when he reached his destination. A colossal fortress composed of large logs with their ends sharpened to spikes stood before him. The white curly smoke came up from the middle of it. Riku scratched his head. There had to be people inside right? He didn't see a door or any kind of entrance, so he couldn't just walk in; perhaps he should call to the inside?

He cupped one of his hands around the side of his mouth, ready to yell in, but suddenly a sharp sound much like a gun shot rung through the air. Riku jumped and backed away from a sudden movement. He looked down to the ground where he had seen the movement. There sat a silver bullet smoking up from the now slightly disturbed ground.

They just tried to shoot him!

Riku could have let out strings of unimaginable curses just then if he wasn't so stunned by the fact that he was almost shot. He regained some composure, but not enough to not tell them off for nearly blasting him.

"Why did you just shoot at me you flippin' asses!" Riku yelled drawing his sword and using it to point at the fortress, "What the hell did I do!"

A booming command came from inside the fortress, "What? He speaks English? Lower your rifles men; he's English!"

Riku lowered his sword and stared up confused. What did his ability to speak have anything to do with why he deserved to be shot?

Another voice called, "Open the gates!"

Sets of the logs began to move outward, and opened like doors just a little left of Riku. He centered himself and a plump man in purple with a black thin mustache accompanied by an extremely thin man with light brown hair came out to greet him.

The plump man chuckled apologetically, "I'm so sorry lad; you should have called out to us sooner. We assumed you were a savage in those odd clothes…"

Riku sneered at the man's half-felt apology and backhanded insult on his fashion sense, but became curious from what he had said, "Savages?"

The two men exchanged glances and the plump man replied, "Yes, you know, Indians and what not…"

Riku turned out toward the forest, "Do they live out there?"

"You've never heard about the Indians from this world, son?"

Riku's froze at the mention of 'world'. Did these guys know about other worlds as well? Were the destiny Islands the only world that didn't know that other worlds were attainable by vessel?

Riku decided to play it safe, "World?"

The plump man looked appalled, "Lad, do you not know where you are?"

Riku shrugged, and feigned for the most part, ignorance.

"You are in the New World. Thousands of miles away from England. It turns out that Columbus fellow was right and we are on the other side of the world…" he summed up with another unsavory chuckle.

Riku gave an internal sigh of relief. This was just an undiscovered part of their world, not actually a new one entirely. It would sort of be insulting if every world knew about inter-world travel except Destiny Islands.

Riku smiled and asked as politely as he could, "Well, I wouldn't want to intrude on you nice folks too long so I'll just be quick. I'm looking for two of my friends you see. Their about my age and one is a girl with red hair and another is a boy with brown spiky hair. Have you seen anybody like that? They only would have shown up recently."

"Hmmm, I can't say. I haven't seen anyone even wearing something remotely like the garbs you have on. Perhaps you should ask John Smith. He's been exploring and rummaging about this land despite the better words of wisdom. If anyone has seen your friends around here, Smith has," he said.

"Okay, where's John Smith?"

"Adventuring," the thin man piped in for the first time.

"Where?"

"Not a clue," the plump man sighed, "If I were you, I'd come inside and wait for him. Go looking for him and you just might run into some savages or those horrid little monsters they have." Both of the men turned to go back inside the fortress and Riku followed after them, quickly catching the 'little monsters'.

"Hey wait! Um…" Riku murmured off when it came to a name.

"Ratcliffe," the plump man replied, "Governor Ratcliffe."

Riku nodded, not really caring all too much, "Those 'little monsters' you mentioned, did they have black bodies and bright yellow eyes?"

Ratcliffe stopped walking and turned to look at Riku, "Why yes, yes they did. Ran into them did you? Here, come into my cabin. We'll discuss such things there."

Riku was led into the dead center of the fortress where there was a cabin. Outside of the cabin were many men wearing pieces of shiny metal armor and had guns at the ready. They all watched him being escorted by Ratcliffe and eyed him suspiciously as if he would attempt attack. The cabin was entirely wooden and had a chimney producing a small trail of white smoke. Was that smoke he followed coming only from this one cabin?

They entered the heated cabin and, just as Riku stepped in, a white little pug stepped out without even bothering to look up at him. It had a blue collar and almost a haughty air to it. Riku chose to ignore the dog as Ratcliffe sat down in a wooden chair and offered him another next to him.

Riku sat down and then noticed the skinny man wasn't there anymore. Was he not allowed to come into the cabin?

"So tell me, lad, what is your name? And are you from England, or just happen to speak our language fluently?" Ratcliffe asked, seemingly getting comfortable.

Riku personally didn't like Ratcliffe. He seemed to go by his own agendas, and it was clear that he had too much power and loved using it. Riku thought about giving him a fake name, but what would be the use of that?

"I'm Riku," he said simply.

"Are you English Riku?" he asked again.

"No."

Ratcliffe frowned, "You're not French or Spanish are you?"

"No."

Ratcliffe raised an eyebrow, perplexed, "Then what country are you from?"

Good flipping question.

"I come from a collection of islands called the Destiny Islands," he said truthfully. What could the truth hurt?

"Hmm, I've never heard of such a place," he looked suspicious, "Well, it must be near Europe, you wouldn't be able to speak English so well if it weren't." he crossed his arms and looked satisfied with Riku's story.

Riku could have cared less, "So, you don't know when your John Smith is coming back?"

"No, he leaves everyday and almost never comes back before sunset. God only knows what he's doing. I swear one day the savages and their monsters will get him…" he said in an almost apparent mock mourning.

The Indians and the heartless Ratcliffe spoke of ignited Riku's interest enough to bear talking with him. He laced his fingers together and leaned forward, "So, tell me about the savages in this region… and about their monsters too."

Ratcliffe sat back and chuckled, "Well, we came to the New World in search of gold you see. We are positive there is some around here but we cannot find it. The only logical explanation is the Indians took it and are keeping it for themselves, the greedy savages that they are…"

Riku internally sighed. Wasn't that calling the pot calling the kettle black… or however that saying went?

"… We found them lurking 'round our camps one day and set off a few warning shots to scare them away. They did flee, but something else came soon after…"

Riku began to truly focus. It sounded like 'the good part' of a horror movie or a scary story.

"… at first we figured they were Indians with black paint on their faces, but we soon realized our mistake. There were four of them, one in red, one in blue, one in yellow, and one in green. All of them held staffs of sorts. Our gunmen tried to shoot at them when we thought they were Indians, but they dodged all of the bullets at lightning fast speed; it was overwhelming…"

Riku thoughtlessly leaned forward even more, becoming more and more interested. Those didn't sound like the heartless he had met in Snow White's world at all.

"…Only one got even a minor scratch and the green one swung its wand and healed it immediately. Then they all raised their staffs high into the air, as if summoning Satan himself, and what might only be assumed as their underlings came out and wreaked havoc on all of my crew. Their little underlings wore witch's hats and had the body of perhaps misshapen salt-shakers and were able to cast a different element corresponding to their color. And the original four seemed to have control over them all, like generals in an army."

Riku sat up again. How strange… Perhaps what Ratcliffe was describing wasn't a real heartless, but just an odd monster of this world…. Riku frowned. How disappointing… he might have been able to get real information about the heartless without Maleficent and that horrid riddling voice.

Ratcliffe noticed his disappointment, "Hm? Something wrong?"

Riku looked up, "Oh, nothing. I just thought that I might know what your monsters were… but they don't sound anything like the things I encountered."

"Hmm…" Ratcliffe murmured, "So I guess you wouldn't know how to defeat our little x-hearts…"

Riku's heart skipped a beat, "What did you call them?"

"X-hearts," Ratcliffe said, looking at him curiously, "It's a name that the men gave the monsters. You see, they have a peculiar mark on each and every one of them." Ratcliffe stood up and went over to a nearby table with a few maps and other papers on it. He filed through them and picked up a particularly dirty piece of parchment. He handed it to Riku.

On the paper there was a slightly messy design of what looked like a heart with an x through it. There were a few more intricacies to it, but the main product was so.

"They all had that same mark to them. The generals had them on different places such as their boots or arms or whatever, but on every minion there was a large one printed on its chest."

Riku stared at the design for a while. An x over the heart. No hearts. Those without hearts. Heartless.

Riku sighed and placed the paper down. Yeah, now he was sure that they were indeed heartless, but if Ratcliffe and his men didn't even know their names how were they going to know even what might interest Riku?

"Their real name is 'heartless', or 'those without hearts'," Riku said resting his eyes thoughtfully.

Ratcliffe seemed excited, "Do you know how to beat them?"

"No, I've never had to fight them, and I've never encountered the heartless you're talking about," Riku confessed, handing the paper back to Ratcliffe.

Ratcliffe scowled, "I see."

A rapping came from the wooden door. A voice Riku recognized as the skinny man's came through the door, "Sir, John Smith is back."

Ratcliffe, still clearly agitated, waved Riku off, "Very well, go talk to him. You said that was all you wanted right?"

Riku smirked, kicking him out as quickly as possible now, hm? "Right."

Riku exited the cabin and passed the skinny man strait to who he assumed was John Smith. He was blonde with a little bit of helmet hair. He wore no armor which slightly surprised Riku, being as all these men thought the outside was the most dangerous place of all…

He extended a hand in greeting, "Hello, I'm John Smith. I understand you want to talk to me?"

It took Riku a few moments to finally shake his hand. He still felt some awkwardness toward proper greetings.

"Hello, my name is Riku, and I-"

"Where are you from Riku?" John cut him off.

Riku gave him a look of part irritation and part uncertainty.

John caught on, "Sorry," he laughed; "It's just that I've never seen clothes like yours before, and they don't look like…" he trailed off and cast a quick side glance over toward the skinny man.

"How about we go to my tent?" John offered placing a hand on Riku's shoulder. Riku nodded and he was led across the camp to a large tent.

The tent's commodities were clearly inferior to the ones in Ratcliffe's cabin, but it wasn't like Riku was staying so he made himself comfortable where he stood.

"So Riku, are you from around here? The New World that is," John asked.

"No." Riku mentally rolled his eyes. Would he have to go through the same bit over again?

"So you haven't heard about the Indians here?"

"No, I have," Riku said, feeling slightly confused, "Ratcliffe told me about the situation between you and them."

"But have you seen them; talked to them; encountered them in anyway?"

"No…"

John sighed and said firmly, "Okay: everything Ratcliffe told you; get it out of your head, because it's lies."

Riku's eyebrows furrowed together, "What?"

"There is no gold here, the people here are not savages, and they don't control the ex-hearts," John said flatly.

"Heartless," Riku corrected.

Now it was John's turn to give a look, "Do you have them where you are from?"

"No, but I've seen them before and they are called heartless," Riku was becoming annoyed, the Indian thing was interesting but it didn't concern him and he was here for only one thing, "Now please, I want to know: have you seen anybody that looks about my age and are wearing approximately same clothes as me. I'm looking for a boy named Sora and a girl named Kairi."

"The boy has brown spiky hair and the girl has red, right?" John chuckled.

Riku's heart leapt and he smiled, "You've seen them?"

"No, Wiggins told me."

Riku's smile died right there on his face, he stood up and scowled, "Then I have no reason to be here, good bye."

"Wait," John said. Riku grudgingly obliged.

"There's someone I know that might know where your friends are," John explained. Riku's ears perked up. He continued "You should definitely talk to her. If she doesn't know where your friends are, then they aren't in this area."

Riku's mind reeled at a peculiar thing John said.

"'Her'? I didn't think there were any women at this settlement…" Riku murmured carefully.

John chuckled a reply, "There aren't."

O.o

Awww, I sort of miss the little openings and endings to the chapters with Riku and the Mysterious voice (which I hope you already know who it is…)

I'm feeling really impatient right now. My Kingdom Hearts 2 game is supposed to arrive today but I just don't have the patience to wait for it.

I WANNA PLAY NOW! ;.;

(Please review, and thank you for reading)


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